Earwig

Earwig Artist: Blake Babies
Label: Hollywood Records
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 035498001628
EAN: 0035498001628
ASIN: B000004ATZ


Release Date: 2001-06-05

Earwig


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie Rock Indie Rock
Categories | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Jangle Pop Jangle Pop
Categories | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Cesspool
  2. Dead And Gone
  3. Grateful
  4. You Don't Give Up
  5. Your Way Or The Highway
  6. Rain
  7. Lament
  8. Alright
  9. Loose
  10. Take Your Head Off My Shoulder
  11. From Here To Burma
  12. Don't Suck My Breath
  13. Outta My Head
  14. Steamie Gregg
  15. Not Just A Wish

Similar Items:

  1. Sunburn
  2. Innocence and Experience
  3. Rosy Jack World
  4. God Bless the Blake Babies
  5. Nicely, Nicely

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A good effort but..........2005-09-07

The Blake Babies "Earwig", their second album, finds the trio-- bassist/vocalist Juliana Hatfield, guitarist John Strohm and drummer Freda Boner-- finely honing the sound they'd worked on their debut, "Nicely, Nicely". A testament to the music is that quite simply, in 2005, sixteen years after its release, it sounds fresh and inventive.

The band's sound is usually reduced to descriptions of alt-pop, jangly guitars, etc., all these are true, but the core to the sound for me is the fuzzy or distorted guitars in opposition to crisp, ringing bass lines-- nowhere is this better illustrated on riff-based rocker "Rain" or clean-tone guitar piece "It's My Island". Highlights in terms of music are more or less examples of the band's mastery of mood-- "You Don't Give Up" has among the most expressive and moody bass playing in the alternative arena, and Stooges cover "Loose" featuring a powerful riff and a surprisingly aggressive vocal from the usually tentative (at this point in her career anyway) Hatfield.

Still, something is missing on the record-- it gets a bit tedious towards the end-- it could be that the songwriting seems to tail off a bit on the last few tracks, or it could be that the album just drags a bit. Either way, its a decent effort, but its missing something.

5 out of 5 stars The Most Underrated Band Ever.......2005-06-27

This CD is awesome. I can't understand why this band flies so far under the radar. They write compelling, gorgeous music that should be able to be appreciated by anyone with an ear for experimental music combined with the most haunting hooks I have ever heard. Do yourself a favor and buy everything you can by this group.

4 out of 5 stars good major label debut.......2001-06-07

In comparison to the crop of Boston based bands from the mid 80's that rode the "alternative/college radio" wave to success- Dinosaur Jr., Pixies, Throwing Muses, and the Lemonheads- the Blake Babies can, and do, get easily lost in the shuffle; this despite bassist/vocalist Juliana Hatfield's alleged affair with Lemonhead Evan Dando, who briefly was in the band as bassist.

Hatfield, with guitarist/vocalist John Strohm, and drummer/vocalist Freda Boner, came up with quality post-mod pop songs that had some bite and muscle to them. Hatfield is the star factor in the band, with her unpredictable voice as its showpiece. Her range is quite unsettling, as she has a tendancy to be singing along in one range and then jumping to a high note (missing the note more often than not). This unpredictability endears her to some, makes her a villian to others- but is never dull.

After the 1987 release of "Nicely, Nicely," a collection of rather collegiate tunes, including the underground favorite "Swill and the Cocaine Sluts," "Earwig" is more or less a collection of songs from the band's early days, and their 1st major label release. Lemonhead Evan Dando guests on many of the tracks (originally to have been released as an EP called "Slow Learners"), which take on a wonderfully R.E.M/Big Star-ish country twang. Other tracks are from 1988 (with another bassist), and the rest from 1989 (with Hatfield permanently entrenched on bass).

The collection shows a band trying to find its own voice. The songwriting of Hatfield (mainly) and Strohm shows great promise, with Juliana's "You Don't Give Up," "Outta My Head," and "Your Way or the Highway" as highlights, as is Strohm's "Rain." A great highlight, though, is Juliana singing the classic Stooges track "Loose" (from their "Fun House" lp). The results of the lp are at moments inconsistent but nonetheless great guitar pop.

While the band's next effort, the great "Sunburn," would find the group hitting its collective stride, "Earwig" is still a very enjoyable collection of songs. Strohm's jangly guitar, Boner's solid drumming, and Hatfield, made this band much better than average and a joy to (re)visit.

5 out of 5 stars Viva La Blake Babies.......1999-01-05

Blake Babies is my all time favorite band. Their sound is simple, yet entertaining. Juliana's vocals can give anyone goose bumps. Unfortunately, Juliana's works after the Blake Babies are not up to par, but this shouldn't be any reasoning as to not giving Blake Babies a go. They have a great style that anyone could fall in love with.

4 out of 5 stars

Music Album:

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  2. 4/3/98 Nassau Coliseum Uniondale Ny
  3. If You Cut Us, We Bleed ~ Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower
  4. Kiss Ass...Godhead! ~ The Membranes
  5. Activator ~ Velocity
  6. Derringer ~ Rick Derringer
  7. The Essential Collection ~ Jr. Walker & The All Stars
  8. Nine Short Films ~ Terry Bozzio & Billy Sheehan
  9. Tight Like Fist ~ God is My Co-Pilot
  10. More Positive Material ~ The Empty

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Into the Faddisphere ~ Jon Faddis

Signs of Life ~ Jeff Ciampa

The Line Forms Here ~ Dick Katz

Wild Women Don't Have the Blues ~ Nancy Harrow

Eddie Condon & Friends ~ Eddie Condon

Television Airshots ~ Captain John Handy

20 Ans de Carriere ~ Dave

Anne Anderssen ~ Anne Anderssen

20 Supresucessos ~ Evaldo Freire

Da Udin Siam Partiti ~ Coro A.N.A. di Milano